Baltimore police search for brazen candy thief

Justin George, The Baltimore Sun

A robber struck a Royal Farms in Fells Point on Sunday night, leaving with a peculiar payday that only a sweet tooth could covet.

The man, described as a black man in his 40s with a light beard, about 5 feet 10 and 170 pounds, wearing a red jacket with white lettering over a black hooded sweat shirt, entered the convenience store sometime before 7:43 p.m., police said.

He walked down the candy aisle, pulled out a bag and began sticking boxes of candy into the bag, police said. A clerk asked the man whether he was stealing the candy.

The answer came back: Yes.

"He replied he was stealing candy," Baltimore police spokesman Sgt. Anthony Smith said. "He walked in, removed a bag from his person and just started grabbing boxes of candy, filling the bag."

A Royal Farms employee got in his path, Smith said, but the man pushed her out of his way as he was exiting the store.

In all, the man stole $180 worth of candy, Smith said.

"He was taking full boxes," he said. "Full candy bar boxes."

It was not known what type of candy he stole or how many boxes he stashed away. Citywide robbery detectives are investigating and police did not have a suspect Monday. But Smith said some officers on the scene may have recognized the man.